#IFTHEREARENOCHARITABLEFOUNDATIONS: RUSSIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONS SEEK HELP

The global financial crisis and pandemic most negatively affected the activities of non-profit organizations. The representatives of charitable foundations were among the first to raise the alarm. They noted that the work of the fundraising and volunteer organizations is on the verge of complete cessation in the current situation.

The donations from citizens in the situation of common panic almost ceased, and fundraising activities and contacts with large companies are impossible due to the self-isolation and financial problems of potential benefactors. It turned out that many non-profit organizations were not ready for a complete transition to online, as a number of commercial structures did.

According to Kira Smirnova, executive director of the “All Together” charity meeting, apart from the obvious reasons - a decrease in the number and volume of donations, the cancellation of mass events affected the financial condition of the foundations as well. There are no charity fairs and sales, concerts and festivals, partnership events, lectures, races, etc. Another kind of non-profit organizations is providers of social services, which also lost an opportunity to make a profit.

Kira Smirnova noted that the deterioration of the situation of the foundations directly affects thousands of their wards, who now need help more than ever.

“Homeless people are especially vulnerable during a pandemic. In conditions of isolation, the risk of children from crisis families to be returned to the orphanages increases. Severe diseases cannot be paused during an epidemic. People with mental disabilities can be particularly difficult to endure the stressful situations,” stated a representative of “All Together”.

Kira Smirnova also told us that the incentives and measures of state support for business have already been introduced, but nothing have been introduced for non-profit organizations, although they need help most. Therefore, the foundations came together and sent a letter to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and the Federation Council with a request to take measures to support Russian non-profit organizations.

“In order to get the special passes for the employees and volunteers, I had to send an official letter to the Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Moscow, which was signed by almost 30 organizations. We need to tell people about the situation - we launch flash mobs all together, for example, #if there are no charitable foundations,” said Kira Smirnova.

The posts with this hashtag are sometimes touching, and sometimes very scary: if there are no foundations, then so many people will not receive treatment and so many people will die. It is the hard truth. At the same time, the foundations try not to stop working.

“It is very difficult to make forecasts, but it seems that not everyone will go through this crisis,” the expert summed up.

Olga Lazareva, the president of “Our Fund” support and development of environmental and other socially significant projects foundation, takes a much more optimistic position. She has told “Rusbankrot” that there is a hope in quarantine.

“People and organizations, supporting environmental projects in Russia, were very rare. Before the quarantine, donations accounted for less than 1% of all charitable funds. I hope that now there will be more good people - consciousness of Russians will expand, as there’s time to get a deeper understanding of environmental issues,” said Olga Lazareva.

The president of “Our Fund” project is also confident that by preserving biodiversity, the immunity of all mankind has a chance to be strengthened, and people have a chance to create a cure for any mutating virus.

“I am sure that soon we will get the vaccine against coronovirus from the cells of some plant or animal that we managed to save. I hope it is possible,” said Olga.

Also, the expert expressed the opinion that with each lost species, mankind loses a chance of survival. Olga Lazareva believes that the whole pandemic situation will make people more responsible, and that the environmental charity projects will receive large-scale support.

However, “Our Fund” is still waiting for the support - the expert said that the funds, allocated by Potanin, will not reach them, because the project does not fit the criteria. Firstly, NPO was created less than 3 years ago, and secondly, the direction of "environmental protection" is not a priority now. That is why the organization temporarily went on vacation.

“Large federal brand funds, captive funds of large corporate structures and the foundations of oligarchs will survive as well as the public projects,” said an independent expert Mikhail Ermakov.

According to the experts, if the volume of donations decreases in the current situation, the number of people, who need help, will increase, and many charitable organizations can cease to exist. In this situation, the country will no longer be facing a crisis or high mortality from a coronavirus, but will face a massive social tragedy. There are hopes that social events and flash mobs on social networks (# if there will be no funds) will solve this problem at least partially. However, they are rapidly melting against the backdrop of the unfolding confusion in the country.